BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Bladder cancer (BCa) imposes a substantial economic burden on health care systems and patients. Understanding these financial implications is crucial for effective resource allocation and optimization of treatment cost effectiveness. Here, we aim to systematically review and analyze the financial burden of BCa from the health care and patient perspectives. METHODS: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA)-compliant systematic review was conducted, searching PubMed/Medline, Embase, and public sources for studies evaluating the financial impact of BCa, encompassing costs, cost effectiveness, and financial toxicity (FT). KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Non-muscle-invasive BCa (NMIBC) incurs significant costs for surveillance and treatment, with costs exceeding $200 000 after 5 yr for high-risk NMIBC patients progressing after bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment (including inpatient, outpatient, and physician service expenses). Muscle-invasive BCa generates substantial costs from radical cystectomy (RC) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, averaging $30 000-40 000 from surgical costs of RC, with additional expenses in case of complications. Trimodal therapy has higher costs (1-yr management cost >$200 000) than RC because of higher outpatient, radiology, and medication costs. Metastatic BCa incurs the highest financial burden, with systemic therapy costs ranging from $40 000 to over $100 000 per five-cycle course, increasing further with combination therapies (ie, enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab), treatment-related toxicity, and supportive care. FT is particularly prevalent among younger, less educated, and minority populations. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: BCa treatment, particularly in advanced stages, imposes a substantial economic burden. Innovations in care, while improving oncologic outcomes, necessitate detailed cost-effectiveness assessments. Addressing these economic challenges is essential for optimizing BCa management, targeting patients at a higher risk of FT, and improving patient quality of life.
- MeSH
- Cost-Benefit Analysis MeSH
- Cystectomy economics adverse effects MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Neoplasm Metastasis MeSH
- Urinary Bladder Neoplasms * economics therapy pathology MeSH
- Health Care Costs * MeSH
- Cost of Illness * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
- Systematic Review MeSH
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A critical evaluation of contemporary literature regarding the role of big data, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies in precision cardio-oncology care and survivorship, emphasizing innovative and groundbreaking endeavors. RECENT FINDINGS: Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm models can automate the risk assessment process and augment current subjective clinical decision tools. AI, particularly machine learning (ML), can identify medically significant patterns in large data sets. Machine learning in cardio-oncology care has great potential in screening, diagnosis, monitoring, and managing cancer therapy-related cardiovascular complications. To this end, large-scale imaging data and clinical information are being leveraged in training efficient AI algorithms that may lead to effective clinical tools for caring for this vulnerable population. Telemedicine may benefit cardio-oncology patients by enhancing healthcare delivery through lowering costs, improving quality, and personalizing care. Similarly, the utilization of wearable biosensors and mobile health technology for remote monitoring holds the potential to improve cardio-oncology outcomes through early intervention and deeper clinical insight. Investigations are ongoing regarding the application of digital health tools such as telemedicine and remote monitoring devices in enhancing the functional status and recovery of cancer patients, particularly those with limited access to centralized services, by increasing physical activity levels and providing access to rehabilitation services. SUMMARY: In recent years, advances in cancer survival have increased the prevalence of patients experiencing cancer therapy-related cardiovascular complications. Traditional cardio-oncology risk categorization largely relies on basic clinical features and physician assessment, necessitating advancements in machine learning to create objective prediction models using diverse data sources. Healthcare disparities may be perpetuated through AI algorithms in digital health technologies. In turn, this may have a detrimental effect on minority populations by limiting resource allocation. Several AI-powered innovative health tools could be leveraged to bridge the digital divide and improve access to equitable care.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
BACKGROUND: The management of patients with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD) is challenging due to coexisting diseases, competing risks and uncertainties around optimal transition planning. Such clinical challenges are further exacerbated by physician shortage, coupled with rising service demands, which may hinder timely medical access due to long waiting times. Accurate progression risk assessment may help optimize resource allocation and adapting care based on individual patients' needs. This study validated the Prognostic Reasoning System for Chronic Kidney Disease Progression (PROGRES-CKD) in an Italian public hospital and compared its potential impact on waiting list optimization against physician-based protocols. METHODS: First we first validated PROGRES-CKD by assessing its accuracy in predicting kidney replacement therapy (KRT) initiation within 6 months and 24 months in a historical cohort of patients treated at the San Gerardo Hospital (Italy) between 01-01-2015 and 31-12-2019. In a second study we compared PROGRES-CKD to attending nephrologists' prognostic ratings and simulated their potential impact on a waiting list management protocol. RESULTS: We included 2005 patients who underwent 11,757 outpatient nephrology visits in 4 years. Most visits occurred for NDD-CKD stage 4 patients; the incidence of KRT onset was 10.8 and 9.32/100 patient-years at the 6 and 24-month prediction horizon cohorts, respectively. PROGRES-CKD demonstrated high accuracy in predicting KRT initiation at 6 and 24 months (AUROC = 0.88 and AUROC = 0.85, respectively). Nephrologists' prognostic performance was highly operator-dependent, albeit always significantly lower than PROGRES-CKD. In the simulation exercise, allocation based on PROGRES-CKD resulted in more follow-up visits for patients progressing to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and fewer visits for non-progressing patients, compared to allocation determined by nephrologists' prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: PROGRES-CKD showed high accuracy in a real-world application. Waiting list simulation suggests that PROGRES-CKD may enable more efficient allocation of resources.
- MeSH
- Ambulatory Care * MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- Renal Insufficiency, Chronic * therapy diagnosis MeSH
- Risk Assessment methods MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Renal Replacement Therapy statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Nephrology * MeSH
- Hospitals, Public MeSH
- Prognosis MeSH
- Disease Progression MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Waiting Lists * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Validation Study MeSH
- Geographicals
- Italy MeSH
BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune disorder with significant clinical implications, including life-threatening myasthenic crises and exacerbations. Understanding real-world treatment patterns, especially associated direct medical costs, is essential for the effective management of healthcare delivery. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cohort study using health administrative claims data from the Czech Republic covering more than 1,500 prevalent MG patients. Data were analysed for healthcare resource utilization, medication costs, and hospitalization rates related to MG and its complications. RESULTS: Acetylcholine inhibitors and corticosteroids were widely prescribed, with 91.1% and 75.2% of patients receiving them at least once, respectively. Immunosuppressive therapy was given to 45.2% of patients. Myasthenic crises occurred in 2% of patients, with a mean hospitalization cost of 21,020 EUR, while exacerbations occurred in 9.2% of patients, with lower costs (5,951 EUR per hospitalization). Outpatient intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange therapies incurred additional costs of 20,700 EUR and 18,206 EUR per person-year, respectively. The mean total cost per patient-year was 1,271 EUR, with significant cost differences among patients with different treatment patterns. CONCLUSION: This study offers real-world insights into the treatment patterns and associated direct medical costs of MG in the Czech Republic. Myasthenic crises and exacerbations pose considerable cost burdens, while outpatient therapies and common pharmacotherapies are less costly. These findings are vital for healthcare planning, economic evaluation, and resource allocation, potentially leading to enhanced patient care and outcomes.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Hospitalization economics MeSH
- Cohort Studies MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Myasthenia Gravis * economics therapy drug therapy MeSH
- Health Care Costs MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Aged MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
BACKGROUND: Given the critical role of general practitioners (GPs), their insufficient medical density and the adverse effects of burnout on both practitioners and the quality of care provided, the prevalence estimates of GP burnout reported in the literature are highly concerning. This nationwide study builds on a 2023 survey that revealed a significant burden of burnout among Czech GPs. The primary objectives were to analyse the prevalence and determinants of burnout and to examine potential trends over time. METHODS: In April 2024, 2,500 randomly selected GPs were emailed the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel, supplemented with sociodemographic and job-related questions. The statistical analysis included a comparison with an identical study conducted a year earlier. RESULTS: Of the 765 completed responses (542 females, 223 males; mean age 55.5 years), 19.7% of the GPs experienced burnout in all three dimensions, 23% in two, 28.5% in one, and 28.8% in no dimension. Similar to 2023, the most common burnout dimension was a lack of personal accomplishment (PA, 52.2%), followed by emotional exhaustion (EE, 45.9%) and depersonalization (DP, 35.7%). Male and employed GPs experienced greater degrees of DP, while practice owners were more susceptible to EE. A positive dependence of burnout on the number of listed patients was identified. The proportion of GPs experiencing burnout across all dimensions decreased by 2.1% from 2023 to 2024 (p = 0.232), primarily in DP. Additionally, a 6.7% increase in GPs showing no signs of burnout in all dimensions (p = 0.002) further supported this positive trend. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2023 and 2024, the prevalence of burnout among GPs exhibited a modest decline. Nonetheless, it persists at almost 20%. Ensuring a sufficiently dense network of GPs, providing adequate resource allocation, and raising awareness of their importance are essential measures.
- MeSH
- Depersonalization epidemiology psychology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Job Satisfaction MeSH
- General Practitioners * psychology MeSH
- Prevalence MeSH
- Burnout, Professional * epidemiology psychology MeSH
- Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, global healthcare systems faced unprecedented challenges, with a lack of resources and suboptimal patient care emerging as primary concerns. METHODS: Our research, using a comprehensive 24-item electronic questionnaire, "Reflections on the Provision of Healthcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic," delved into the experiences of 938 physicians across the Czech Republic. RESULTS: Over fifty per cent observed a "lower standard of care" compared to pre-pandemic levels. A division arose among physicians regarding a decision's medical, ethical, or legal basis, with a notable gender disparity: male doctors leaned towards medical perspectives, whereas females accented the ethical perspective. Decision-making concerning health care limitations required agreement among the physicians on duty, interdisciplinary teams, or shift supervisors. Physicians reported varying degrees of patient or family participation in health care decisions. Variables such as age, pre-existing health conditions, and life expectancy influenced care decisions. Surprisingly, half of the physicians faced refusals of patients' transportation to better-equipped facilities due to resource constraints. One-third of physicians never discuss the decision about care limitation and other options with patients or their families. As a result, almost fifty per cent of the physicians rarely or never imparted information about care limitations to patients. CONCLUSION: The survey shed light on the profound ethical dilemmas hospital physicians face across different types of healthcare facilities during the pandemic. It uncovered the need for open dialogue and scholarly debate on resource allocation and strengthening the role of patients and their families in care decisions in future healthcare crises.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * epidemiology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Clinical Decision-Making ethics MeSH
- Physicians * ethics MeSH
- Ethics, Medical MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Pandemics MeSH
- Attitude of Health Personnel MeSH
- Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
- Decision Making ethics MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Czech Republic MeSH
Příspěvek je určen lékařům pro rychlou orientaci v legislativě týkající se předpisu lázeňské léčebně rehabilitační péče na úhradu z veřejného zdravotního pojištění a upozorňuje na nejčastější nedostatky při indikaci lázeňské péče.
The contribution is intended for doctors to gain a quick orientation in the legislation regarding the prescription of spa medical rehabilitation care for payment from public health insurance and draws attention to the most common shortcomings in the indication of spa care.
BACKGROUND: Up-to-date estimates of stroke burden and attributable risks and their trends at global, regional, and national levels are essential for evidence-based health care, prevention, and resource allocation planning. We aimed to provide such estimates for the period 1990-2021. METHODS: We estimated incidence, prevalence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) counts and age-standardised rates per 100 000 people per year for overall stroke, ischaemic stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage, and subarachnoid haemorrhage, for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We also calculated burden of stroke attributable to 23 risk factors and six risk clusters (air pollution, tobacco smoking, behavioural, dietary, environmental, and metabolic risks) at the global and regional levels (21 GBD regions and Socio-demographic Index [SDI] quintiles), using the standard GBD methodology. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for each individual future estimate were derived from the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of distributions generated from propagating 500 draws through the multistage computational pipeline. FINDINGS: In 2021, stroke was the third most common GBD level 3 cause of death (7·3 million [95% UI 6·6-7·8] deaths; 10·7% [9·8-11·3] of all deaths) after ischaemic heart disease and COVID-19, and the fourth most common cause of DALYs (160·5 million [147·8-171·6] DALYs; 5·6% [5·0-6·1] of all DALYs). In 2021, there were 93·8 million (89·0-99·3) prevalent and 11·9 million (10·7-13·2) incident strokes. We found disparities in stroke burden and risk factors by GBD region, country or territory, and SDI, as well as a stagnation in the reduction of incidence from 2015 onwards, and even some increases in the stroke incidence, death, prevalence, and DALY rates in southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania, countries with lower SDI, and people younger than 70 years. Globally, ischaemic stroke constituted 65·3% (62·4-67·7), intracerebral haemorrhage constituted 28·8% (28·3-28·8), and subarachnoid haemorrhage constituted 5·8% (5·7-6·0) of incident strokes. There were substantial increases in DALYs attributable to high BMI (88·2% [53·4-117·7]), high ambient temperature (72·4% [51·1 to 179·5]), high fasting plasma glucose (32·1% [26·7-38·1]), diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages (23·4% [12·7-35·7]), low physical activity (11·3% [1·8-34·9]), high systolic blood pressure (6·7% [2·5-11·6]), lead exposure (6·5% [4·5-11·2]), and diet low in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (5·3% [0·5-10·5]). INTERPRETATION: Stroke burden has increased from 1990 to 2021, and the contribution of several risk factors has also increased. Effective, accessible, and affordable measures to improve stroke surveillance, prevention (with the emphasis on blood pressure, lifestyle, and environmental factors), acute care, and rehabilitation need to be urgently implemented across all countries to reduce stroke burden. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Antagonistic activity of brain networks likely plays a fundamental role in how the brain optimizes its performance by efficient allocation of computational resources. A prominent example involves externally/internally oriented attention tasks, implicating two anticorrelated, intrinsic brain networks: the default mode network (DMN) and the dorsal attention network (DAN). To elucidate electrophysiological underpinnings and causal interplay during attention switching, we recorded intracranial EEG (iEEG) from 25 epilepsy patients with electrode contacts localized in the DMN and DAN. We show antagonistic network dynamics of activation-related changes in high-frequency (> 50 Hz) and low-frequency (< 30 Hz) power. The temporal profile of information flow between the networks estimated by functional connectivity suggests that the activated network inhibits the other one, gating its activity by increasing the amplitude of the low-frequency oscillations. Insights about inter-network communication may have profound implications for various brain disorders in which these dynamics are compromised.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Electroencephalography MeSH
- Electrophysiological Phenomena MeSH
- Epilepsy physiopathology MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Brain * physiology physiopathology MeSH
- Nerve Net * physiology MeSH
- Attention * physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
OBJECTIVES: To determine how social factors influence career decisions of dental service providers, particularly focusing on examining the impact of dentists' origins. METHODS: Online survey of Hessian panel dentists, with pairwise comparisons to a set of factors impacting their decision-making process. An Analytic Hierarchy Process examined the weighting of influencing drivers in career choice. RESULTS: Dentists from rural backgrounds were more likely to establish practices in rural areas than those from urban origins. Origin correlated with entrepreneurial intentions and a strong association of rural origin. Dentists who grew up in rural areas were 4.19 times more likely to start a business. CONCLUSION: These findings may support efficient resource allocation and support for rural dental businesses.
- MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Small Business MeSH
- Professional Practice Location MeSH
- Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
- Rural Population MeSH
- Career Choice * MeSH
- Rural Health Services MeSH
- Dentists statistics & numerical data psychology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Germany MeSH
